A Story of Progress Through Service

' The story of Fernando Negri, better known as Fern, to all his business friends and associates, is typically American. A small start and a steadily increasing growth, to one of the largest firms of its type in the industry.

Fern bought his first truck and drove it himself in 1933. He started hauling lumber for just one account but in order to filI his slack time he solicited additional business and acquired new ones.

Because he would come in late at night, or because an occasional delivery was refused, he started to roll off lumber tablishment of large offrces right on Fern's lot at 4200 Bandini Blvd., occupied today by many wholesale lumber firms.

In 1946, Fern Trucking Company was Incorporated u'ith Fernando Negri, the original founder, as President and Don Ford as Vice President. The company grew until today a third lot, located at I2C0 Mines Ave., with an additional 12 acres of storage space for lumber products, has been made available to its many customers.

In addition to a new location, their latest service was to install two-way radio in all trucks so that arrangements could be made for pickups and deliveries in the quickest time possible.

With all their facilities, it is Fern's policy to stay out of the lumber industry itself. They do not sell lumber but do their utmost to promote a service that will best help their customers.

Predicts Populotion of l80 Million

Beyond question the biggest stimulant to the housing market is the birth rate, according to John M. Dickerman, executive director of the National Association of Home Builders.

on lumber setups in his backyard, hence the start of his first additional service the storing of lumber.

A short time later he bought another truck, hired a driver and rented a lot to store the ever increasing amounts of lumber for his customers. Occasionally Fern was asked if mill shipments could be made direct to his lot, so he moved to a place .lvith a spgr track where he could accommodate his customers. He added the service, not only of a spur track, but car unloading, sticking for air drying and storing the material until his customers were ready for him to deliver to ultimate designation.

In 1941, Fern bought out another small company, for whom Don Ford was then working. Don started right in with Fern, driving a truck and gradually progressed to Assistant Yard pelsrnan-Foreman-Dispatch Desk-to his present position of Vice President and General Manager.

In 1945, inquiries from customers for office space near his storage yards became quite frequent, which led to the es-

The post-war trend of younger marriages and more twoand three-children families has continued into the 1950's and it is now conceded that by 1960 the population of the United States may well reach 180,000,000, a rise of 30,000,000 from 1950. This factor alone will put a tremendous strain on the productive capacities of the housing industry in the next decade.

There are other demand factors that must be taken into account. One is the replacement of the 60,000 dwelling units that, according to the best estimates, are destroyed each year by fire,flood or other natural disaster or that are demolished to make way for some different land use.

The replacement of obsolete or ramshackle houses is yef another factor. The building industry thus far has barely kept pace with the demand'constituted by new families, and has barely scratched the surface of the replacement market.

Floyd Scott, president Western Custom Mill, rvholesale lumber distributors of Los Angeles, spent ten days during January calling on dealers throughout the State of Arizona. He reports business conditions are fine.